Yoga Offers Global Path to Peace and Unity Amid Conflict: PM Modi

Amid ongoing conflicts in West Asia and Europe, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday described yoga as a powerful tool to bring peace and balance to an increasingly turbulent world. Addressing the 11th International Day of Yoga celebrations in Visakhapatnam, the Prime Minister said that yoga acts as a “pause button” for humanity — one that helps the world breathe, heal, and find unity.

“Yoga is the pause button humanity needs to breathe, find balance, and regain composure,” PM Modi said, noting that today’s world is witnessing widespread ashanti (unrest) and violence. He called for everyone to live by the ancient Indian principle, Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah — may all be happy — as a pathway to creating a peaceful society.

Emphasising the transformative nature of yoga, PM Modi highlighted how it transcends individual ego. “Yoga kills ego and takes us from ‘me’ to ‘we,’” he stated, describing it as a path that fosters global unity and collective consciousness in the face of growing fragmentation and conflict.

The Prime Minister also elaborated on this year’s International Yoga Day theme — Yoga for One Earth, One Health — calling it a reminder of humanity’s deep interconnectedness. “The health of every entity on Earth is interconnected. Yoga awakens us to this truth and teaches us that we are not isolated individuals but part of nature,” he said.

Highlighting the discipline that yoga brings to personal well-being, PM Modi said, “Initially, we learn to take good care of our own health and wellness. Yoga instils strong personal discipline, which is the first step to a harmonious society.”

He added that yoga’s message is universal and inclusive — beyond boundaries, backgrounds, age, or ability. “Whether it’s the Sydney Opera House, Mount Everest, or the vastness of the ocean, the message remains: yoga is for everyone,” PM Modi said.

He described yoga as India’s gift to the world — one that goes beyond being a physical activity to becoming a medium of inner strength and collective healing. “Yoga is not limited to any nationality or community. Its wisdom and benefits belong to the entire humanity,” the Prime Minister said.

As the world grapples with uncertainty and division, PM Modi’s message reiterated yoga’s enduring role in promoting physical well-being, emotional balance, and above all, peace — both within and across nations.

IT.